Maissel Avalo-Mejia, Social Security Number Misuse, Massachusetts 2024

BOSTON — Maissel Avalo-Mejia, 30, a Dominican national living in Foxboro, Massachusetts, stood before a federal judge yesterday and admitted to stealing the identity of a Puerto Rican U.S. Army Specialist to fraudulently obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses. Avalo-Mejia pleaded guilty to one count of misuse of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft in U.S. District Court.

The stolen identity belonged to a real soldier serving in the U.S. Army — a man whose name, date of birth, and Social Security number were used repeatedly by Avalo-Mejia over years to pass as a lawful resident. The most recent driver’s license was issued on April 10, 2014. Authorities say the fraud might have gone undetected longer if not for a fingerprint match linking Avalo-Mejia to a Dominican Republic identification document bearing his photo.

Avalo-Mejia was arrested in May 2018 and released on conditions while awaiting resolution of the case. His sentencing is now scheduled for September 5, 2019, before U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole. Federal prosecutors emphasized that the use of military identification for civilian fraud adds a disturbing layer to an already serious breach of public trust.

The charge of misuse of a Social Security number carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The aggravated identity theft charge triggers a mandatory two-year prison term that must run consecutive to any other sentence, along with up to one year of supervised release and another fine of up to $250,000. Actual sentencing will reflect the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutory considerations.

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Boston, under Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh, and the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Division, headed by Special Agent in Charge Scott Antolik. Both agencies stressed the growing threat of identity theft tied to foreign nationals using falsified or stolen U.S. documents.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling announced the plea today, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra S. Bower of the Major Crimes Unit handling prosecution. As federal authorities tighten scrutiny on identity fraud, cases like Avalo-Mejia’s underscore the vulnerabilities in document-issuance systems — and the lengths some will go to live under a lie.

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